Bill's Walks

Sedgefield, Bishop Middleham and the River Skerne

Filed under: Other

Distance: 12.5 miles

Start: Hardwick Country Park (GR 346287 at junction of A689 and A177)

Click to view start position on Google Maps

This walk starts at the car park of Hardwick Hall Country Park which is one of the jewels in Co Durham’s crown. The park was developed by John Burdon from Tyneside who took over the estate in 1748. Hardwick Hall, which is viewed from a distance, has no particular outstanding features and is now a hotel. It does however enjoy lovely views of the restored park to which it is linked by paths. The grounds, which contained follies and lakes, had fallen into disuse during the 20th centry but around 1990 Durham County Council displayed great vision and (with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund) over a period of years restored the grounds and some of their buildings to their former glory. In addition they built a visitor centre with cafe and rooms for countryside activities which benefit the children of the area.

The walk starts by going into the park and through the mock Gothic gateway which actually contains stones from Guisborough Priory. After walking north alongside the smaller lake the ruins of the Banqueting Hall are passed and we continue along the south of the main lake looking across to the hall. These lakes contain a wealth of birdlife at all times and have breeding coots, moorhens, mute swans and mallards. Ahead of you is the restored temple of 1754 -1757 which is a domed octagonal building surrounded by a square colonnade with six columns on each side.

Returning to the water on the left is the Serpentine Bridge built in the 1760s which was restored in the 1990s. Heading west you come to the south-west extremity of the park which is exited onto a well waymarked bridleway . This soon reaches the bridleway from the car park which heads north, then west and north again. In the 1850s the land hereabouts was the site of a tile and brickworks. The bridleway then heads north-west over fields which show rigg and furrow ploughing patterns. A walk leaflet produced by Sedgefield Borough and Durham County Council mention that the shape of these (a reverse S) show that the field was ploughed by oxen which had a wider turning circle. The countryside both north from here to Bishop Middleham and south west towards Aycliffe was formerly very wet and there has been several drainage schemes over the centuries. Indeed Selkirk the Roman historian postulated that the Romans had linked the River Skerne to Croxdale Burn and then the River Wear.

Our route is clear on the ground heading north and climbs up to the old trackbed of a mineral railway line. At this spot we now have two routes to Bishop Middleham:

(1) By turning left in a south-west direction along the old mineral line, before crossing the river and following the track for a short distance, some steps lead down to a footbridge over the Skerne which is crossed. You now cross the old trackbed of the line which served Bishop Middleham Colliery and associated brickworks and head north-west to reach the deer park wall of the Bishops Castle. In the wall are the remains of a pack horse bridge. This probably served an old salt route and we walk on one of the salters lanes later in the walk. The salt came from the salt panns near Greatham on the Durham coast. The route now goes due north passing the site of Bishop Middleham Castle on your right which is mentioned as far back as 1099. Two former bishops died here. A leaflet on a 3 mile circular walk produced by Groundworks East Durham some time ago states that in this area can be found the thistle Carlina Vulgaris on the south-west slope of the old castle site, which has the properties of curing dysentry. The plant disappeared for many years but reappeared in 1976 and is now thriving. You now reach Foulmarts Lane where common mallow and golden stonecrop can be found growing on the walls. Foulmarts were a marten like a pine marten which lived in these walls and area and decimated game birds. I think these were what is known in France as beech martens and they are ferocious creatures as l know from experience! You now turn into the old part of the village.

(2) The alternative way to Bishop Middleham heads north-east from the mineral line and crosses the Skerne by a footbridge before heading NW to arrive at a picnic spot with a small lake and seats on the edge of the village. The whole of this area is great for birds with many waders to be seen . In spring are found lapwings (peewits) and golden plover en-route to the Pennines to breed. Go through this small reserve to the south-west corner where there is a stile and then head up steeply behind the church to reach Foulmarts Lane. The two routes combined make an attractive short walk.

St Michaels Church in Bishop Middleham is from the early 13th century. The next building on your right is Middleham Hall built in 1761 which was an Academy for Boys, apparently run on the same lines as Woden Croft and Dickens Dotheboys School. Also to be found on the bank going down to the crossroads is the Old Vicarage on your right and the equally old Victorian Police House opposite, which was one of the first police houses following the formation of the police force by Sir Robert Peel in 1829 (where the name bobbies came from).

Go straight over the crossroad and uphill past the houses to cross over the road leading to Ferryhill Station and continue north past the working quarry of dolomitic limestone on your left. After about 200 yards you will see a sign on your right giving access to Bishop Middleham Nature Reserve run by the Durham Wildlife Trust. Bishop Middleham Reserve is an SSSI and famous for its flora especially orchids, however the quarry became famous in 2002 when it saw thousands of visitors who had come to see the breeding bee eaters who were nesting on the old quarry face to the north of the site. This was one of the very few occasions that these attractive birds have bred in the UK and being so far north this was exceptional! The path entering the site skirts the southern periphery for a while before descending to the left where it joins the other path through the site. Before heading out on your right turn left to see the famous site where the birds were given 24hr protection against egg snatchers.

Now turn around and leave the site by a gate with Farnless farm in front of you. You pass the farm to the left, descending to a small pond and a well-placed seat. Continue heading east and looking to your right expect a surprise as you should see a herd of bison from the North American plains! The reason for this is that Farnless Farm specialises in low cholesterol meat from their herds of bison (also known as buffalo) and of red deer. In addition they have elk and iron age pork. Look at their website for full details of this interesting and healthy venture. The way now is to follow the clear track to the east to join the A177. Turn right for a short distance and take the access road to West House farm and where the track turns to the right, half way to the farm, enter the field in front of you. This is crossed diagonally to pass to the south of the farm.

On passing the garden behind the farm continue east towards Fishburn. Again here a surprise may await you as you are passing Fishburn Airport which has a 600 metre grass landing strip which has been seen in a Bollywood film. At the end of the field containing the airport cross the stile and head south down the field site. The right of way leaves the field boundary about half way down to head south-east towards the houses but the locals appear to continue round the west and south side of the field to reach the entrance of Fishburn.

Fishburn is a typical Durham large mining village. There is conjecture on the derivation of its name with two views. One is that it is named after the good fishing obtained in the nearby River Skerne or the more likely one, in my view, is that it is named after the Fissebourne family who gave their name to the manor. In the 1950s the colliery and coke works to the south employed over 1500 people but now there is only a small monument left to record the site. The village does benefit by its proximity to Sedgefield with its numerous pubs and shops and all the usual facilities of a small town. There is an SSSI on the grasslands to the north which has an interesting flora. otherwise there is nothing to detain you.

Walk east along the main street (there is a better way just to the south for a while) and over the cross roads to the end of the village next to the recreation ground. Here turn left and after about 100 yards take the access road on your right leading to Galley Law Farm. Just before the new farmhouse look for a poor stile on your right (which is too narrow and has no foot rest) and proceed south to another stile which is crossed. Continue south to reach Salters Lane. On the map it looks as there may have been a junction of Salters Lanes here with one heading north through Shotton Colliery and another possibly heading west. Follow Salters Lane east through attractive country to cross the bridge over the Skerne where you then head downriver on the left bank. After half a mile recross the Skerne on the bridge and head just west of north across the field passing some trees with an owl box in one of them.

The route on the ground here is not that plain but on picking up the track from Salters Lane head south to a fence and a stile. If time is short a mile can be saved by taking the track leading off Salters Lane well before you reach the Skerne at GR382318 to reach the same place. Proceed towards Bridge House Farm but if you are using an older map note that the right of way down the access road has been extinguished. It is necessary to head north-west when you reach the farm to reach Butterwick Road via a stile – better waymarking is required here! Go down the road to the access road to the farm. On the other side is a waymark but currently (Feb 2012) it is necessary to climb the gate. Again the route on the ground is not clear but there are no problems with access. Head south-west past the pylons and then stay close to the beck to find a good footbridge over the Skerne. If in doubt aim for the mast on top of the hill. There are waymarks after the footbridge and it is uphill to pass Ryall Farm on your right before crossing a stile and walking across the field to reach the farm access road. This is followed south to reach Butterwick Road which leads into Sedgefield on your right.

Compared to the excellent waymarking from Sedgefield to Fishburn there is a significant deterioration on the paths back to Sedgefield from Fishburn regarding waymarking, although it must be emphasized that in no place, apart from having to climb over gates are you impeded. More waymarking would certainly prove beneficial here!

Sedgefield is a fine small town which was granted a charter for a market in 1312 and has many attractive buildings. Note the plaque on the Dun Cow relating to the fish and chip lunch between President Bush and PM Tony Blair here. The fine church of St Edmund dominates the main street and also dates from the 13th Century. Walk past the church and at the t-junction cross the road and through the passageway and yard of the Hardwick Arms Hotel to reach a gate into a large field. Here there are two choices. You can head west across the pasture to reach the A177, which is crossed to enter the Country Park by the old entrance or you can go south-west across the pasture and use the underpass of the A177 to arrive back at the car park.

Some of the information on this walk has been taken from “Exploring the Countryside between Sedgefield and Bishop Middleham” produced jointly by Sedgefield Borough and Durham County Council and a 3 mile circular walk round Bishop Middleham from Groundwork East Durham. Both I believe are now out of print but thanks to the people who originally produced these. This is a fine walk and hopefully the leaflets will be updated and produced again in future.